CUMBERLAND — The Atlanta Braves announced Thursday that the 53,000-square-foot entertainment venue planned for its mixed-use development adjacent to SunTrust Park will be known as the Roxy Theatre.

The ballclub also announced that Live Nation will develop and operate the venue, which will be located on the north end of the plaza outside the new stadium.

The Roxy Theatre will have a standing-room-only capacity of 4,000 and will see about 40 shows annually, which will be booked by Live Nation.

Braves’ owner Liberty Media has a minority interest in Live Nation, which will oversee ticketing and promotion for the venue.

Mike Plant, executive vice president of business operations for the Braves, said the venue is another example of the Braves creating a destination that will draw people year-round.

“We know what we’re doing 81, hopefully 91, days a year,” Plant said. “That is at the top of our objectives and driving 3 million-plus people a year because of the fact that we’re playing Braves baseball games at SunTrust Park and doing pregame and postgame events. … So that left 274 days a year, and we’ve been focusing from day one on creating a very unique destination where the ballpark is the nucleus … and (the venue) complements that.”

The new venue will be one of the biggest in Cobb, according to Holly Bass Quinlin, CEO of Cobb Travel & Tourism.

“It is a standing-room only venue, which makes it unique,” Quinlin said. “All of our other venues are either seated or they have a mix. For example, Fifth Third Bank Stadium is a mix because they have the seats but they can also use the field.”

Based solely on capacity, the Roxy Theatre would be near the top of the list of Cobb venues. Other large venues include the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, which has a 2,750-seat theater, the outdoor Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre, which can hold up to 2,400 people, and the aforementioned Fifth Third Bank Stadium, Kennesaw State University football stadium, which has a capacity of 8,318.

Quinlin said Cobb already sees national acts performing at its existing venues, but the addition of the Roxy Theatre will expand the county’s ability to attract different types of performances.

“It makes Cobb’s already expanding entertainment community stronger by providing this kind of unique venue,” she said. “It will also be another nighttime entertainment option for residents and visitors to enjoy.”

As part of the partnership between the Braves and Live Nation, Plant said, the ballclub will own and build the Roxy Theatre and Live Nation will operate it. The Braves also have the option of holding their own events at the venue, Plant said, as long as it doesn’t conflict with events already booked.

“For example, in the postseason, we look at pregame and postgame events, and as you go deeper into the postseason, you need a larger and larger venue,” Plant said. “That’s something I could foresee us doing.”

The Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta was once known as the Roxy Theatre, and Live Nation Atlanta President Peter Conlon said in a statement he’s glad to be a part of resurrecting the name.

“Live Nation is very excited to bring back an iconic venue such as the Roxy Theatre,” Conlon said.

Plant said Live Nation was involved in the operation of the Roxy Theatre in Atlanta, and when the name changed and the venue came under new ownership, Live Nation retained the rights to the name.

When the Braves were working with Live Nation on the entertainment venue in the mixed-use development, Plant said, Conlon mentioned that the Roxy Theatre was an option and the ballclub jumped at the chance to use the iconic name.

Quinlin said she loves the decision to name the venue after the old Atlanta venue.

“I think the Roxy name has a lot of history and soul, and to be able to intertwine that with something new and modern, I believe is just very cool,” she said.

In addition to the entertainment venue, the $452 million mixed-used development will also contain a nine-story office tower and a 16-story luxury hotel. The office building’s sole occupant will be Philadelphia-based Comcast, which will bring about 1,000 employees to staff the office tower. The Braves and Omni Hotel & Resorts are 50/50 partners on the hotel, which is will have about 260 rooms and suites.

Additionally, the Braves plan to have a smaller, outdoor venue in the plaza area, which is intended to serve as a transition area between the ballpark and the mixed-use development. Plant said this outdoor area will have a stage and will mostly serve as a location for pregame and postgame activities, though there are other events — such as dining out under the stars or serving as a finish line for a 5K — that could utilize the space.

Live Nation is a subsidiary of Live Nation Entertainment, which also owns Ticketmaster, according to a news release announcing the partnership. Live Nation produces more than 20,000 shows every year, the release states.

Today is an exciting day in Cobb County. I am proud to inform you that the Georgia Supreme Court unanimously upheld Cobb County’s bond to support the Atlanta Braves stadium.SunTrust Park is expected to generate $106 million in annual economic activity and will secure Cobb County as the home of the Atlanta Braves for 30 years. Construction is well underway at the site. The project has already generated a great deal of economic growth including thousands of construction jobs and more than $250 million in contracts to Cobb County Companies.The mixed use development is also making great progress. In March, Comcast announced that it will occupy a nine story office building, bringing 850 new technology jobs to Cobb County. Omni Hotels will build a new, high-end, full-service 16 story hotel. With many more announcements in the works, together, the ballpark and the mixed use development, will transform the area into a 365 day a year destination. All of this is happening in what is already recognized as a major commercial activity center in Cobb County and the Atlanta region. The Greater Cumberland area is home to 39,000 residents, more than 75,000 jobs, 17.5 million square feet of office space and 3 million square feet of Retail.

While the Atlanta Braves have been working with corporate partners on the ballpark and mixed use community, Team Cobb has been working diligently to ensure that residents, commuters and visitors can safely and conveniently access the ballpark and mixed use development. There are more than $1 billion dollars of transportation improvements currently underway. The county is equally committed to pedestrian safety. For the past several months, consultants have been studying the construction of a multi-use bridge connecting the Cobb Galleria Centre to the mixed use community. Similarly, a study is underway to explore the best options for implementation of a Cumberland District Circulator. The goal is to provide a quick, efficient and safe transportation option that links business, convention, dining, entertainment and visitor destinations within the Cumberland area. Both of these projects are still evolving. No recommendations have been made to, considered or accepted by the Board of Commissioners. That said, I am pleased to provide an update on the progress of these projects. Following several stakeholder meetings, the landing points for the bridge, inside and outside the perimeter have been determined. We know that the bridge will accommodate both pedestrians and the circulator on a single level. The original cost estimate of $6-$9 million dollars to construct the bridge has remained consistent. As the project continues to evolve, if the cost estimate changes, we will work with partners and funding sources, outside of Cobb County, to cover the difference. Cobb County is committed to staying within the original estimated budget. We set a goal to have the pedestrian bridge ready by opening day and we continue to work toward that goal. However, public safety, stakeholder involvement and Board of Commissioner support will not be compromised to meet a deadline. We will get this right the first time with all of these things in place. If this means we aren’t ready on opening day then we will plan accordingly.

The Circulator study team has conducted multiple surveys and considered the results of a survey of Cobb County Purchasers of Atlanta Braves season tickets. Preliminary results indicate strong interest in using circulator and express buses from park and rides. Development of specific routes are still being determined with anticipated final recommendations to Board of Commissioners this fall. Click here to view documents, presentations and renderings related to both projects.

We can all be extremely proud of the community we are building together. I look forward to working with the Board of Commissioners to continue to make progress toward making Cobb County THE place to live, work, AND PLAY BALL! ...